Embezzlement

Although "embezzlement" may sound better than "stealing money" — in reality, euphemisms such as embezzlement, employee theft, and filing inflated or phony expense reports mean the same thing to prosecutors, to judges, to juries, to business associates, to prospective employers and even to friends. In situations where avoiding charges or gaining an acquittal are not realistic possibilities, experience can go a long way toward minimizing the potential damage.